Guam fishermen get 3,500 more pounds of bottomfish without instant shutdown
Published Date: 10/1/2026
Rule
Summary
Starting November 2, 2026, fishermen in Guam can catch more Mariana bottomfish—up from 31,000 to 34,500 pounds each year! Instead of shutting down the fishery right away if they go over, there’s now a smarter system that checks catches after the season and adjusts limits if needed. This change helps keep the fish healthy while giving fishermen a fairer chance to work and earn.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Annual catch limit raised to 34,500 lb
If you fish Mariana bottomfish in Guam, the annual catch limit (ACL) increases from 31,000 lb (14,061 kg) to 34,500 lb (15,649 kg). This change takes effect November 2, 2026 and lets the fishery harvest an additional 3,500 lb in a year compared to the prior ACL.
In-season closure replaced by post-season overage fix
Starting November 2, 2026, NMFS will no longer close the Guam bottomfish fishery mid-season if projections suggest the ACL will be reached. Instead, NMFS will compare the average catch over the most recent 3-year period to the ACL after the season; if that 3-year average exceeds the ACL, the ACL for the next fishing year will be reduced by the overage amount through a separate rulemaking.
Indefinite closure standard removed; reversion to FEP rule
The rule removes the higher performance standard that required NMFS to close the fishery in Federal waters indefinitely for any ACL overage. Management will instead revert to the Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) performance standard, which requires the Council to re-evaluate accountability measures if the ACL is exceeded twice in a 4-year period.
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